NL West

Now Commenting On:

Wieters, Hardy back Johnson with blasts in O's win

Email

Print

Wieters' two-run blast 0:49

3/17/13: Matt Wieters launches a two-run homer to left field to open up a five-run lead for the Orioles in the fifth inning

By Rhett Bollinger
/
MLB.com |

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Right-hander Steve Johnson tossed four scoreless innings, and J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters both homered to help lead the split-squad Orioles to a 7-1 win over the Twins on Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium.

Johnson, who is competing for a spot in Baltimore's rotation, gave up three hits and a walk in four scoreless frames. Johnson last pitched in a Grapefruit League game on March 5 and lowered his spring ERA to 2.00.

He fared better than Twins right-hander Vance Worley, who surrendered three runs on six hits and a walk over four innings.

The Orioles scored twice in the second inning when they loaded the bases with one out. Chris Dickerson brought home a run with an infield single before Lew Ford plated a run with an RBI groundout.

Worley later gave up a solo shot to Hardy in the fourth inning. It was Hardy's first homer of the spring.

"I had to make an adjustment with the mound," Worley said. "I made pitches when I needed to, but I just didn't get the results I wanted."

Wieters crushed a two-run blast in the fifth inning off Twins reliever Casey Fien after Manny Machado walked. It was the third homer of the spring for Wieters.

Orioles closer Jim Johnson also worked a scoreless fifth inning in relief of Steve Johnson. He didn't allow a hit but walked Aaron Hicks with two outs.

Baltimore added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single from Lew Ford off reliever Jared Burton.

Up next: The Orioles have a scheduled off-day on Monday before resuming action on Tuesday against the the Red Sox. The Orioles travel down to Fort Myers, Fla., to face Boston in a 1:35 p.m. ET start at JetBlue park. Left-hander Brian Matusz is scheduled to start for Baltimore.